"A Solemn Looking Cove" - Alfred Benoni Turner

Turner is a very common surname in Australia. Benoni, on the other hand, is uncommon. So I was not expecting much difficulty researching my great great uncle, Alfred Benoni Turner. I knew he was born in the colony of South Australia in 1845 to English parents Daniel and Jane Turner. Most young men in the colony left a paper trail that was easy to follow: marriage registration, new address not far from their parents, birth of children and so on. But my initial forays into Trove [Note 1.] and the SAGHS database drew blanks.Oh well, he was not my direct ancestor. I put Alfred Benoni aside and turned my attention to another twig on the family tree.

Years passed, then in 2019 I was ready to give A.B. another go. I'd found other people's long lost relatives, surely I could find my own? I went after the elusive ancestor again. This time, I would get him.

Constable Turner

The Leadbetters' excellent website FamilyHistorySA.org, [Note 2.] listed Albert Benoni Turner as joining the South Australian Police force then deserting 5 years later, on 31st March 1879. He would have been 34 and unmarried when he absconded.. A search of Trove for A.B. Turner AND police yielded a a handful of minor incidents involving Constable A. Turner, normal police business, no scandal or misdemeanour that might have prompted him to leave. I also discovered Albert had been a butcher before joining the Force, so my next task was to search Trove for Alfred Turners who were butchers. I found one in Queensland and another in New South Wales, but nothing to connect them to my South Australian family.

Matrimony

I might have overlooked an article in the Sydney Truth if it had not been for the amusing headline: HIS BANKER. Refuses to Part—the Money. BUT IS SATISFIED TO PART FROM HIM. ALF TURNER'S FINANCIAL AND MATRIMONIAL MULL.

An Alfred Turner had appeared in the matrimonial court, Sydney. His wife had deserted him and he sought a court order for her return. Elizabeth Turner was by all accounts a feisty woman; her views on matrimonial property were ahead of her time - she had taken the furniture and removed to the Working Women's Club. Marriage, she told her partner, was distasteful to her. This was in 1911 and The Alfred Turner in question said he was "over 60". My great great uncle would have been 66.

"A solemn-looking cove"
Sketch from the Sydney Truth
21 May 1911

 Alfred Turner told the court his personal history as follows:

- he had been a journalist for a New Zealand newspaper before his marriage,

- married Elizabeth Schuhman in 1906

- opened a butcher shop on Military Rd, North Sydney that did very well,

- sold this business

- had a paralytic stroke

- went on a trip to Melbourne

- returned to Sydney with plan of starting business again, but his wife refused him their money

- went to South Australia, where he got work.  

Alfred died a year later, 1912, from horrific injuries sustained when he fell between a railway carriage and the platform "and was dragged along some distance" as he was getting off a train. [Note 3.] A notice in the N.S.W. Government Gazette regarding his estate referred to him as Alfred Beresford Turner. There was no will and no apparent heirs, other than his wife.[Note 4.]

Journalist & Author

This had occurred some 30 years after Alfred Benoni deserted the police force and disappeared. I considered the possibility that Alfred Benoni Turner had become a writer, using the pen name Alfred Beresford Turner, and also the possibility that the man in the Sydney courtroom was not telling the truth and was not a journalist at all. Eliminating people who are not the one you're looking for is just as important as finding matches, so I headed for the New Zealand digitised newspapers [Note 5.] There was indeed an A. Beresford Turner who had written articles for NZ papers in roughly 1900 - 05, eg Lake County Press, 18 Sep 1902, article: "Life in Sydney": Evening Star, 3 January 1903, opening chapters of "The Banishment of the Honorable Charles - an Anglo-Australian tale" by A. Beresford Turner. The whole novel had been serialised. The writing seems to have been done in Sydney.

The serialised novel was the most interesting in terms of identifying my great great uncle. A young man from a wealthy family leaves his sweetheart in England and goes to Australia. Landing in Melbourne, he answers an advertisement for a Station Manager, a new arrival being preferred (unlikely). [Note 6.] The Station is in the heart of Kelly country, and our hero arrives just as the notorious gang are being chased down by the police. Hon.Charles is captured by the gang, and the police close in. From here, the novel becomes an account of police operations. A great deal of attention is given to their weapons and strategies. While the broader points re the pursuit of the Kellys could have been obtained from contemporary newspapers, this was clearly written by someone who was well acquainted with police work.

The Kelly Gang

So what would Alfred Benoni Turner have known about the career of the infamous Ned Kelly and his gang. Is it possible he had some first-hand knowledge? Could the author and the policeman be the same man?

The Kelly gang's stoushes with the law began in late 1878, when Alfred Benoni Turner was Constable Turner in the South Australian Police.

The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922) Wednesday 11 December 1878 p 2:

"THE KELLY GANG

[From our own Correspondent.]

Melbourne, December 11.

Kelly's gang yesterday stuck up and

robbed the Bank at Euroa."

By January 1879 letters in the Adelaide papers condemned the incompetence of Victorian Police. The name of local hero Alexander Tolmer was invoked as an example of a South Australian who would soon have the Kellys rounded up. Speculation heated up and colonists were eager for anything Kelly.

  The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA :
1867 - 1922)  Friday 10 January 1879 p 1 Advertising

Edward "Ned" Kelly
in 1880, the day before
he was executed.

Numerous sightings turned out to be false alarms, there were stories that the Kellys had crossed into New South Wales, and even that they may progress to South Australia. Every day  there was something in the Adelaide papers.

Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 11 January 1879 p 3 Article: "The Kelly Gang"

"Whether the Kelly gang will feel flattered by the likenesses [in Fry's painting]

 it is for them to say when they get over here." (my emphasis)

Constable Turner, witnessing the frenzy in Adelaide, might have had a number of thoughts:

• his Victorian counterparts were not only being murdered, they were being made to look inept and ridiculous.
• South Australians would not put up with this sort of nonsense
• if something isn't done they will be here soon anyway
• an opportunity existed for him to be a hero, or at least to have an adventure

It seems too much  of a coincidence that Constable Turner absconded just at this moment of high excitement over Ned Kelly's gang. If journalism was uppermost in his mind, he may have been spurred on by this comment:

Burra Record (SA : 1878 - 1954) Friday 14 February 1879 p 3 Article: The Kelly Gang:

'Truth is stranger than fiction.' What novelist would dare to imagine such an incident as the following, or if he did who would think such a thing possible in the 19th century, and yet it is from this week's Register:... [followed by report of hold-up of a police barracks.]"

Continued in Alfred Benoni Turner Part Two  This blog article is copyright ⒸAnne Tichborne 2019

Notes

1. Trove website is the home of the National Library of Australia's digitised collection. Its old newspapers and magazines are particularly loved by family historians
2. Persons Lost and Found at Family HistorySA website is a valuable list of ships' deserters, runaway spouses, escaped convicts and other absconders. The extensive database by Barry and Maureen Leadbetter includes immigrant ships, new arrivals, births, deaths and marriages, police, whalers, land selection and more. 
3. Reference to the death of Alfred Beresford Turner:
   RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT ASHFIELD. (1912, February 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 10
4. In the intestate estate of Alfred Beresford Turner, late of 42 Chandos-street, Ashfield, cab-driver, deceased. (1912, March 6). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 1663
5. Papers Past is the New Zealand website for digitised newspapers. 
6. This article may be completely unrelated, but there's a marked coincidence with the story of the "Honorable Charles" and the year is 1881!
   A man named Alfred Turner was arrested on Thursday afternoon at the Mount Rothwell Station, on a charge of having deserted his wife in Melbourne. He was brought before the Geelong Police Court yesterday, and remanded to appear at the Melbourne Police Court to-day. It was stated by the arresting constable that Turner had hired himself out as a general servant, and had taken a young woman to the station to act as laundress. [TOWN TALK. (1881, March 5). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), p. 2.]

Albert Leopold Turner and Alice Elizabeth Annie Blight

Albert Turner was a luminary of the Mt Barker Baptist Church and a businessman of that town. ^[1] He and Alice married on 8th July 1910 in Mt Barker. Alice was the daughter of Richard Blight, a Cornish miner who had come to South Australia as one of a large family group. Albert and Alice had three children, Dudley Falcon (my father), Claire and Gweneth (Gwen).  Dudley and his sister Claire were twins.

Albert was in business for a time at Mt Barker with his brother Arthur, building rainwater tanks and associated pipework and metalwork. Prior to that, he'd  had "a plumber's shop in Strathalbyn" (The Advertiser, Dec 1909) before working for a Potter & Co at Mt Barker. His partnership with his brother began in 1912.

Messrs. Albert Leopold Turner and Arthur Edward Turner have commenced

business at Mount Barker as ironworkers and tinsmiths, under the registered name

of Turner Bros. The new firm dates from January 1, 1912.

THE SOUTHERN DISTRICTS. (1912, January 12). The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 - 1954), p. 3.

He was still in business in his own name in 1917, at Albert Rd, Mt Barker South.  The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (7 Dec 1917)  My father must have learned this work from his father, Albert - he once made me a beauitful scaled-down wood-burning stove from tin, painted black and decorated with the kind of scrollwork his uncle and grandfather must have done as painters and decorators.

Albert's recreations included tennis, cycling - he entered in local races - and touring as a lay preacher, including what must have been very long trips to the beach for the purpose of converting beach-goers to Christianity.

PROHIBITION LEAGUE

The field day system arranged by the South Australian Prohibition League continues to be popular in the churches. Seven representatives will conduct services on Sunday. Albert Keeling. A. L.Turner. and the Rev. H. Escourt Hughes will leave tomorrow morning for Stansbury and MIinlaton, and the Rev. J. C.Hughes for Kadina. T. C. Davey. D. H.Bottrill. and the Rev. W. G. Clarke will be in the West Hindmarsh circuit.

The News (Adel) Fri 9 Apr 1926 Page 10 PROHIBITION LEAGUE

CHURCH NOTES
Reference will be made at the Mission of the Open Door in Willard Hall tomorrow evening to the work of the late Mr. A. L. Turner, who was for long associated with the mission and

with open-air evangelism.
The Advertiser, Sat 1 Sep 1934

One could conclude that he was not at home much.

By 1931 the family was living at Torrens Avenue, Lockleys. I don't know what Albert's occupation was at that time, or whether he was unable to work due to illness. Another resident at that address was Mrs Blight, Alice's mother. I recall visiting my Uncle Arthur and my grandmother, Alice, in Lockleys during the 1960's, before Alice took up residence at a Baptist home for the aged in Norwood. I don't know what became of the Lockleys house.

Albert died in 1934 aged 50 while resident at Lockleys.

Sources: 
Birth: Albert Leopold Turner was born to William Allen Turner and Mary Ann Granger on September 10, 1884 at Yankalilla Ref: District: Yankalilla Book/Page: 336/205

Marriage: South Australian BDMs courtesy SA Genealogy and Heraldry Society
Groom Given Name(s): Albert Leopold Groom Last Name: TURNER Bride Last Name Surname: BLIGHT Bride Given Name(s): Alice Elizabeth Annie Marriage Year: 1910 District: Mount Barker REG: 244/55
 
Death: Given Name(s): Albert Leopold Last Name: TURNER Death Date: 28 August 1934 District: Adelaide REG: 562/3653He is buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery with his wife Alice.

Burial: Billion Graves - Albert L. Turner

Dudley F. Turner's Letter to the Advertiser

Dudley Turner and my mum, Edna Gowland
on their wedding day.

In 1949, when he was 36 years old and a father of three, Dudley Turner wrote a letter to The Advertiser on the subject of the current mining strike, naming materialism, selfishness and greed as the cause of  the strike, and Christian spirituality as its remedy. In the process he misquoted and offended a prominent fellow Christian.

  At the time this was written, July 1949, my family was living in a tent on an unimproved block at Eden Hills. They still lived there when I was born 3 years later. Perhaps this explains my father's stance against materialism. My mother, Edna (nee Gowland) was materialistic enough to buy a Housing Trust house (in her own name) when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Our home was curiously furnished with camping items like a coolgardie safe and primus stove that burned methylated spirit.

Anyway, here's Dudley espousing his firm belief that the Gospel was the cure for everything, followed by the Rev. Brown's rebuttal.

Responsibility Of Strikers

 

To the Editor

Sir—A visiting evangelist (Rev. G. R. Brown). who has had many years' experience of special evangelistic work and is a pioneer of industrial evangelism in this State, has a unique message for the working:

man which he believes would solve the present dispute on the coalfields.

He believes that the worker who is always discontented has a diseased mind—a materialistic attitude towards life and a belief that work breeds selfishness and greed. The strike is more than a dispute over wages and conditions It. has a moral and spiritual significance.

The worker is not just a mechanical instrument like the machine he controls but a social individual with a responsiblity toward God and his fellows. When his attitude to God is adjusted he automatically

becomes tolerant towards his boss and his mate.

The employer can give hismen consideration and make their working conditions congenial, but he cannot control the workers' unsettled mind.

Mr. Brown advocates a moral and spiritual regeneration. He can see the impact and good effect that the Christian Gospel has upon the ordinary working man. This is not just superficial. Following his special

meetings in factories, workers have seen for themselves the benefical results. Materialism, scepticism and Communism break down under the influence of the New Testament Gospel.

The coalminer needs just that—a cure for his boredom.

DUDLEY F. TURNER, Eden Hills.

 Responsibility Of Strikers (1949, July 6). The Advertiser p. 4. 

'Utterly stupid and untrue'

Rev George R. Brown responded two days later in the same newspaper (in part):

Sir — The statement by Dudley F. Turner (6/7/49) that I believe 'that the worker who is always discontented has a diseased mind — a materialistic attitude towards life and a belief that work breeds selfishness and greed' is utterly stupid and untrue and does not in any way make sense. In fact, nothing could be fur

ther from the truth. Fortunately, those who know, my association over the past' 25 years with the Industrial Christian Fellowship Movement of Australasia, will not attribute such a spurious statement to me.

Benjamin Grainger

Benjamin Galley Grainger (b 1791 or 1798; d. Jan 8,1871) and his wife Mary Ann Stiff or Steff ( born April 4 1799 in Great Bradley, Suffolk England). were my great great great grandparents, through their son George who migrated to South Australia. They also migrated to Australia, but to New South Wales (Assisted Immigrants). I'm not aware of any contact between parents and George.

In 1841 the UK census has the family living at Linnet Hall where they were employed. All the children were present except eldest Ann (employed elsewhere or married?) and youngest, Daniel. George Granger was 15-19 years. Both parents were aged 40-44. Father Benjamin was born between 1797 and 1801 so 1798 birth date looks most likely. Benjamin, George and David were listed as agricultural labourers. (Scan of census record sighted on MYHeritage: 1841 England & Wales Census - Benjamin Grainger

County: CambridgeshirePage: 13Family: 921Line: 3Image: 21
© Crown Copyright Images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, England.)

In 1851 Benjamin, Mary Ann and younger children were still at Linnet Hall. The children's ages on this census look very confused, with the youngest now the oldest.

According to these Censuses and various online family trees, the children of Benjamin Grainger and his wife Mary Ann were:

• Ann Barton (born Granger)
• George Granger - my great great grandfather, migrated to Adelaide
• David Grainger
• Eliza Clifton (born Granger) - Lake Macquarie, Coorumbung ?
• James Granger - died soon after arrival in Adelaide
• Jonas Granger - def different person from James, though James was buried in West Tce Cemetery as Jonas. Leased land in Gunning, Dec 1861, Yass, 1870. m. Maria, died 1873
• Stephen Granger,
• Charles Granger
• Daniel Granger 

Immigration: From NSW State Archives: 14th March 1857 GRANGER Benjamin, aged 57, arrived on the Beejapore to Sydney and/or Newcastle with family Reel 2138, [4/4793]; Reel 2475, [4/4966]

Benjamin Granger, age 57, farm labourer, orig from Cambridge, able to read, Methodist
Mary Ann, age 57, wife, Suffolk (think it says "No" under literacy)
Eliza 24, Cook, could both read and write
Jonas, 22, shepherd, could both read and write
Stephen 18 no occupation, able to read
Charles 16 no occupation, able to read

They arrived to join married son David, already in NS, free passengers, arr. Tantivy 1854:

David Grainger, Age 25 years Arrived per Tantivy 1854 at Sydney and/or Newcastle; Original Remarks: and family [Biog Item No. 101562370]

James Grainger, Age 6 years Arrived per Tantivy 1854 at Sydney and/or Newcastle; Original Remarks: and family [Biog Item No. 101562371]

Sarah Grainger, Age 25 years Arrived per Tantivy 1854 at Sydney and/or Newcastle; Original Remarks: and family [Biog Item No. 101562372]

 Source ABD

Biography:
GRANGER, Benjamin (c1797-1871), farm labourer, of Gunning NSW; formerly of Weston Colville CAM ENG; born c1797 SFK ENG; son of Joseph Granger, and Mary; education read; arrived 14 March 1857 Sydney NSW per Beejapore as immigrant; land conditional purchase lease 400 acres 1860 Gunning NSW; spouse (1) Mary Ann Stiff (1798-1874) dau of Abraham Stiff of Great Bradley SFK ENG and Anne (Dover); married 1822 ENG; issue by (1) David (1829-1871), Eliza (1832-) (m Clifton), Jonas (1834-1873), Stephen (1839-1895), Charles (1841-1873). Benjamin and Mary Ann Granger with four of their children joined their married son David, already at Camden, and the complete family settled in the Gunning district. The original land purchased is still occupied by a Granger family. Benjamin died in Gunning on 08 Jan 1871. [This published biography was submitted in the 1980s by L K Evans]. [2296/001] [Biog Item No. 910114629]

Source
Book: Australian Biographical & Genealogical Record - Series 2 - 1842-1899

Children of Mary Ann and William Turner

William Allen Turner and Mary Ann Turner nee Granger lived in the Yankalilla/Normanville district in the 1870/80s and then in Mount Barker in the 1890s.  In 1885 W.A. Turner (father of seven at this time) took an interest in the Normanville Wesleyan Sabbath-School and gave an address to a public meeting concerning it [1]. In 1892, William Allen Turner was a member of the School Board of Advice for Mt Barker [2]. William was a painter and decorator and, with his son Arthur, decorated the interior of the first Baptist Church in Mt Barker.

The children of Mary Ann Granger and William Allen Turner were:

• William Alfred Turner b 1873 in Adelaide. Said to have died in Western Australia around 1898
• Edward Turner b. 1875 died in infancy.
• George Allen Turner b. 9th January 1876 in Adelaide
  Married Mary Elizabeth Stratman in 1914
• Edith Alice Turner (Mrs Owens) b. 1878 at Yankalilla
  m. Aloysus Alfred Owens in 1926
• Arthur Edward Turner b. 2nd December 1879 at Yankalilla
• Beatrice Augusta Turner (Mrs Gandy) b. 8th November 1881 in Normanville
• Albert Leopold Turner b. 10 September 1884 in Adelaide
  (my grandfather)
• Grace Alberta "Bertie" Turner b. 31st October 1886 at Normanville
• Amey Stella Turner (Mrs Blackwell) b. 13th January 1889 at Normanville
• Cecilia Bertha Harriet Turner b. 22nd Sep 1891 at Mt Barker, twin with Dorothy Died 1892.
• Dorothy Emma Florence Turner (Mrs Howard) b. 22nd Sep 1891 at Mt Barker, twin with Cecilia
• Gladys May Priscilla Turner (Mrs Northridge) b. 29 July 1893 at Mt Barker. After marriage, went to live in America.

All were born in South Australia while it was a colony of Great Britain.

Notes

1.  Christian Colonist, 16 Oct 1885 Pg. 3 News of the Churches
2. The Advertiser 21 April 1892, Pg 7 School Boards of Advice
   
   

My grandfather Albert L. Turner, businessman of Mt Barker,
was an enthusiastic cyclist
and may have been familiar with Mumsford's Store,
corner of Walker and Gawler Streets, Mount Barker.

The Stedman Family Tree  gives the following children of William Allen Turner:

1. William Alfred Turner, b. 18 Jul 1873, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia d. Abt 1896, Yalgoo,, Western Australia, Australia  (Age 22 years)

2. Edward Turner, b. 18 Jan 1875, North Adelaide, ____, South Australia, Australia d. 19 Jan 1875, North Adelaide, ____, South Australia, Australia  (Age 0 years)

3. George Allen Turner, b. 9 Jan 1876, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia d. Abt 1936/1939 (Age 62 years)

4. Edith Alice Turner, b. 2 Feb 1878, Torrens Vale Near Yankalilla,  South Australia, Australia  d. 11 Feb 1958, Magill, South Australia, Australia (Age 80 years)

5. Arthur Edward Turner, b. 2 Dec 1879, Yankalilla,  South Australia, Australia  d. 18 Jun 1964, Malvern, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia (Age 84 years)

6. Beatrice Augusta Turner, b. 8 Nov 1881, Normanville,(Confirmed) South Australia, Australia d. Abt 1974 (Age 92 years)

7. Albert Leopold Turner, b. 10 Sep 1884, Yankalilla, South Australia, Australia d. 28 Aug 1934 (Age 49 years)

8. Grace Alberta "Bertie" Turner, b. 31 Oct 1886, Normanville, South Australia, Australia d. Unknown

9. Amy Stella Turner, b. 13 Jan 1889, Normanville,  South Australia, Australia d. Unknown,  New South Wales, Australia m. Murray Blackwell

10. Dorothy Emma Florence Turner, b. 22 Sep 1891, Mount Barker,(confirmed)  South Australia, Australia d. 14 Dec 1966, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia (Age 75 years) m. George Clement Howard

11. Cecilia Bertha Harriet Turner, b. 22 Sep 1891, Mount Barker, (confirmed) South Australia, Australia d. 23 Mar 1892, Mount Barker,  South Australia, Australia (Died as an infant)

12. Gladys May Priscilla Turner, b. 29 Jul 1893, Mount Barker, (confirmed) South Australia, Australia d. Abt 1976, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California (Age 82 years) m. Herbert Northridge.

Are We Related?

William Edward George Allen Turner (1842 - 1919) known also as William Allen Turner, was my great grandfather. He was a first generation colonist of South Australia, which was founded in 1836. His parents Daniel and Jane arrived on the ship Brightman in 1840. In 1873, aged 31, William married a Kangaroo Island girl, Mary Ann Granger. Mary Ann came on the Aurora in 1856.

If William and Mary Ann are your great or great great grandparents, then we are cousins! You might have the surnames Turner, Gandy, Blackwell, Howard, possily Thomas or, if you live in America, Northridge, or others I don't know about. William and Mary Ann had 11 children, 9 of whom survived. They lived at North Adelaide, Yankalilla/Normanville and Mount Barker, South Australia.

28 September 1876

I've done a fair bit of genealogy research on this family, which I will post here. If you want to know more, or have something to add, please message me using the comments box below.I've posted the family tree on WikiTree.com and I'll add links on this blog. Here's a couple to start with:

William Allen Turner   Mary Ann (Granger) Turner

DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS OF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE? I DON'T HAVE ANY AND WOULD LOVE TO FIND SOME!